5 Reasons why Black Women Cant Save Money?!

5 Reasons Black Women Can't Save Money

Earlier this year the Insight Center for Community Economic Development published a study which found that the median wealth of single black women is $100 compared to that of single white women at $41,000.  Don't be fooled by thinking the disparity is caused by just a difference in income.  Income and wealth are not the same!  Income is what we bring in annually, while wealth is basically established by what we decide to do with the resources we bring in.

Here are 5 behaviors that THEY SAY Black women tend to participate in more frequently than other female counterparts which perpetuate this staggering economic gap:

1. We treat boyfriends like husbands.  We won't get on how many different ways this behavior is detrimental, but speaking financially, co-signing on loans and entering long-term agreements with someone who has not even attempted to commit to you on a long term basis is ridiculous.  More times than not, Black women are left with the debt of a brother who has moved on and is driving his new girlfriend around in the car you still have to pay the note on. 

2. We don't know how to say, "NO!" We tend to be givers by nature, but unfortunately we give until the point of self-deprivation.  First to the church, then to bills and then to relatives and friends who have no means of paying us back.  We believe that we are "helping" everyone around us from trifling siblings to grown children, but really we are enabling the people we love the most, not to mention damaging our own financial futures. Remember, the worst thing you can do for a broke person is become one of them!


3. We make our hair and nails a top priority.  As Black women, being fly is definitely a priority, but can this be done on some type of budget?  Are the nails with all the intricate designs that add an additional $10 to every pedicure really that important?  Imagine what could happen if we rocked hairstyles and manicures that were less flashy and something we could maintain on our own in between appointments.

4. We buy children name brand clothing.  Why should any infant or toddler be Gucci'd down?  Children will not die from not having Baby Phat symbols across their chest.  Name brand clothing is to impress your friends and strangers on the street who, quite frankly, really could care less. If you shopped at stores like Target, think of all the money you could actually put into that child's college fund!


5. We care too much about what our car looks like.  Many of us are the first to graduate from college in our families and we want to make sure that everybody from the 'hood knows that "we've made it!" What's the easiest way to show this? A big flashy car that we can't even afford to replace a tire on. If you can't afford the maintenance on a vehicle, especially the preventative maintenance, then you can't afford the car.  It's really that simple! 

 

I wont express MY opinion on this analysis, but what I would like to know is.....

Black women:: DO YOU AGREE?!

Frankie ARRESTED!!!

According to TMZ Keyshia Cole's troublesome mother, Frankie Lons also a former star of Celebrity Rehab was cuffed this morning for possessing a "drug-related material."

Apparently Frankie was stopped by cops this morning for a traffic violation, where then they learned she had an active warrent in effect for a probation violation, then Frankie's car was searched giving light to a "drug-related material" in her possession.

Damn, Frankie..Will you ever get it together. You're 50 + years old. Come on mah!

Toni Braxton & the Drama Filled Braxton Sisters!!

After watching a few episodes of the new reality show "Braxton's Family Values" featuring Toni Braxton and her relationship with her (4) sisters: Tamar, Trina, Towanda, and Traci...all I have to say is Draaaaaaama!

&& if you think I'm exaggerating, let me break it down for you::



The worst one always gets mentioned most, so with that being said, I have to begin with Ms.Tamar, who I like to call  "The Spoiled DIVA." She is the youngest of all the daughters (which I can relate to) and is obviously used to things going HER WAY!

She drives all of her sisters crazy because she whines and complains continuously about ONLY being Toni's background singer. She wants desperately to have her own singing career and to end her "do wop" background singing days with Toni. Her husband, Vincent just happens to be Toni’s Manager, along with many other famous R&B stars and she thinks that he should just "make it happen for her", but if you ask me she should be grateful for the many luxuries she already has and accept reality.COM (in her words) that her singing career didn't go anywhere when it was first launched so she just needs to get over herself...But I still like her though :)




Trina, who they like to labeled “The Party Girl,” is being portrayed to have a drinking problem and a troubled marriage. She admits to the fact that her husband cheated on her in the past & that it lead to a lot of her recently changed behavior and weight gain, but she still sees a future with her husband.

She also openly speaks about her sexuality where she claims to be a "Tri-Sexual", meaning she would try anything sexually (at least once) to see if she likes it. In my opinion,  I think she may be the realest of them all and she is not afraid to speak her mind.




Towanda, “The Responsible One,” lives with her husband and kids, yet she and her husband date other people.. (She calls it a "marriage of convenience")! *interesting* o_O!  It seems that she is sure the relationship is over but they want to present a united front for their children. The rules are no one can bring their date home.

She thinks the reason that her marriage isn't working out is due to the fact that her husband is not willing to be the provider in the household. She is the main bread winner in the family and she is sick of it. She wants her man to "be a man" and he is not stepping up.



Next we have, Miss Traci, “The Whining Wannabe”. Traci used to sing with her sisters,(OVER TEN YEARS AGO), but got pregnant, which prevented her from continuing to tour with them, BUT she is not ready to let go of her dreams of being back onstage. In every scenario that singing is involved, she breaks down:: at rehearsals, performances, etc. She whines about not being able to be Toni's background singer like the other (2) sisters, and Ms. Diva "Tamar" quickly puts her in her place saying "You can have this, being a background singer ain't hot girl". Lol  

She is very bitter, in my opinion, and too old to be doing all that crying..I mean you missed the boat when you got pregnant, so please move on ma'am.


And last, but not least Ms. Toni Braxton… “The Superstar.” She seems really chill and laid back and she is VERY different from all of her sisters. Her sister, Tamar likes to call her the "Fun Police" because anytime anyone wants to have fun, Toni seems like she's always the one who wants to stray AWAY from it. She doesn't like to go to any club events or celebrations. She would much rather rest in her room, or read a book. (blaaah)

I mean don't get me wrong, Toni is def my FAVE of them all, but she is def not someone I could hang with. I mean who doesn't want to have fun?! Her idea of fun (reading & sleeping) & mine are just two totally different things. Sorry, girl...I'll just stick to singing your lyrics and buying albums, because we cant hang.

Want to See for yourselves, check out Braxton's Family Values on WE TV Tuesday nights!

Lauren London Speaks out in Rolling Out MAG!

In the latest issue of Rolling Out magazine, actress Lauren London downplays her girl next door looks revealing “I don’t even think I’m all that cute.” With those dimples, that charming smile and  big, beautiful brown eyes? Nice try.

Lauren’s shoot was heavily inspired by one of her style icons, Janis Gaye, Marvin Gaye’s wife. The actress, who’s featured in Madea’s Big Happy Family, looks adorable in these soft, 70’s look, and she also dished on her very public pregnancy with father Lil Wayne.

She definitely reflects a new found maturity in her words.

Motherhood looks good on her! Flip it for more pics and a few excerpts::

“I had a pregnancy that wasn’t private … A lot of people had their opinions about it. They were surprised that I came up pregnant, which was a surprise to me, because I’m a woman and women get pregnant and Lauren comes first before the actress, so having my son was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said.

“I’m a great mother because of my intentions on being a great mother, I’m a good friend because I’m loyal, I’m a good daughter because I’ve hopefully made my mother proud, I’m a great human being because I accept that there’s a spiritual being underneath it all,” she said. “I’ve always been a woman of faith.”

J.HUD says HELL NO to Playboy's offer!!

As we all know the FAB, Jennifer Hudson lost over 85lbs after delivering her precious baby boy months ago. The media has torn her down about her weight loss being too dramatic one minute and saying she looks FAB the next, but that hasn't stopped the Grammy Award winner from strutting her stuff with confidence, grace, and class.

She says she loves her new look::

"I've love my new figure. All the fabulous clothes I can wear and get sent, I joke that I'm like a walking billboard now," she told The Daily Mirror. “But I won't be taking my clothes off – no way at all. Beyonce and Rihanna can have that. I like to cover up more. I won't do Playboy. Playboy can call, and wait. That's just not me."-J.HUD

Of course after she made the RiRi/Beyonce' comment everyone decided to put their own [negative] spin on things, so she took to twitter to clear up the matter.

She replied back with:  "I think yal know me better than that. I love both Beyonce n Rihanna. I hate when people try to be messy . B n Ri know me better than that 2″.

Gotta love J.Hud, she always keeps is classy no matter what & I must say her new look just adds to her FABulousity ♥

BGC Season 6 REUNION [Sneak Peak] Shhh...

I dont know about you guys, BUT I am totally ready to see the Reunion of Season 6 BCG!

Ms "Char" who claimed to run the house the entire season while everyone followed her like little puppies, FINALLY gets confronted!

Here's a sneak peak::

Can you say DRAAAAAMA!!!!

Men rocking ANIMAL PRINTS?!

So, recently two of our FAVE rappers have been SPOTTED in none other than ANIMAL PRINTS. Pictured below are Kanye West rocked a Givenchy "leopard print" jacket and Drizzy Drake is wearing a "zebra stripped" blazer.

Has this really become the new FAD? "Straight" Men are rocking animal prints now?! I'm feeling some kinda way about this .....o_O

Let me hear your opinions!!